Residential development land wanted in Bath
We are actively looking for residential development land in Bath and the surrounding area, with or without planning permission.
Residential development land means a site with a credible route to new homes. Planning permission is not essential: much of the land we want has none yet. What matters is location, access and whether local policy could support housing in the next few years.
- Size
- Any — single plots to 50+ homes
- Planning
- With or without
- Areas
- England & Wales
- Ways we buy
- All four
What residential development land we want near Bath
Around Bath, the residential land that tends to work is close to existing homes, shops and transport rather than out on its own. Sitting about 41 miles north-east of Taunton, Bath is within Somerset, with Keynsham and Trowbridge close by.
- Land next to or within an existing town, village or suburb
- Sites with a road frontage or a clear route to one
- Land outside the highest flood risk zones, or where flood risk only affects part of the site
- Single plots, small sites, medium sites and larger strategic land
Somerset, as used here, includes Bath, Weston-super-Mare, Portishead, Clevedon and Keynsham as well as Taunton, Yeovil, Bridgwater and Frome. Green Belt lies around Bath and Bristol in the north, and Exmoor National Park and the Mendip Hills, Quantock Hills, Blackdown Hills, Cranborne Chase and Cotswolds National Landscapes cover much of the rest. The Somerset Levels and Moors are at high flood risk, so sites on higher ground are often favoured.
What decides whether a site in Bath works
Settlement boundary
Land inside or touching a defined settlement usually has a clearer policy route than isolated land.
Access
A safe vehicle access with adequate visibility is often the single biggest make-or-break item.
Utilities and drainage
Foul and surface water drainage, and power capacity, affect cost and timing more than most owners expect.
The August 2026 NPPF supports homes within reasonable walking distance (around 800 metres) of well-connected railway stations, with minimum densities of 35 homes per hectare, or 45 near higher-frequency stations.
Parts of Somerset are Green Belt, though not every town has any nearby. We check early whether a site is inside it and, if so, whether a grey belt or previously developed land case could apply.
Though we are based in Birmingham (roughly 83 miles away), distance is no barrier: we look at land across England and Wales.
Ways to sell residential development land in Bath
Outright purchase
We agree a price and buy the land, with no planning condition attached.
Outright purchaseSubject-to-planning contract
We agree a price now and complete once a satisfactory planning permission is granted.
Subject-to-planning contractOption agreement
Suits larger or longer-term land where planning may take several years.
Option agreementJoint venture
You contribute the land, we fund and manage planning and delivery, and the proceeds are shared as agreed.
Joint ventureWhat happens after you get in touch
Send the basics
A postcode or plan and a few lines about the land are enough to start.
We do the homework
We check planning history, policy, flood maps and access at no cost to you.
We explain the options
You get a written proposal covering price, structure and timing.
Agree and proceed
Once you are happy, solicitors are instructed and the deal moves forward.
Residential development land in Bath: common questions
Does my land need planning permission before you will look at it?
No. Most residential land we are asked about has no planning yet. We look at policy, access and constraints and tell you whether we think a permission is realistic, and which way of selling suits the risk.
Will you tell me if you think the land is not suitable?
Yes. If we think the site has no realistic route to homes we will say so and, where we can, explain why.
Do you buy residential development land in Bath?
Yes. We buy residential development land in Bath and throughout Somerset, as well as elsewhere in England and Wales. Tell us where the land is and we will give you a free appraisal.
How quickly can you look at a site in Bath?
For most sites we can give an initial view once we have the location and a plan. Detailed checks follow if the land looks suitable.